Apparatuses and Methods for Operating a Portable Electronic Device to Conduct Mobile Payment Transactions

ABSTRACT

Methods for operating a portable electronic device to conduct a mobile payment transaction at a merchant terminal are provided. The electronic device may verify that the current user of the device is indeed the authorized owner by requiring the current user to enter a passcode. If the user is able to provide the correct passcode, the device is only partly ready to conduct a mobile payment. In order for the user to fully activate the payment function, the user may have to supply a predetermined payment activation input such as a double button press that notifies the device that the user intends to perform a financial transaction in the immediate future. The device may subsequently activate a payment applet for a predetermined period of time during which the user may hold the device within a field of the merchant terminal to complete a near field communications based mobile payment transaction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser.No. 61/899,737, entitled “Using Bioauthentication inNear-Field-Communication Transactions,” by Inventor Ahmer A. Khan,Attorney Docket No. P21646USP1, filed on Nov. 4, 2013, to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/004,837, entitled “Methodsfor Managing Payment Applets on a Secure Element to Conduct MobilePayment Transactions,” by Inventor Ahmer A. Khan, Attorney Docket No.P23215USP1, also filed on May 29, 2014, to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/004,832, entitled “Methods for Using a RandomAuthorization Number to Provide Enhanced Security for a Secure Element,”by Inventors Ahmer A. Khan et al., Attorney Docket No. P23261USP1, filedon May 29, 2014, and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.62/004,338, entitled “User Device Participation in Transactions viaLocal Secure Element Detection of Mechanical Input,” by Inventors JeremyT. Brown et al., Attorney Docket No. P22931USP1, also filed on May 29,2014.

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applicationNo. 62/004,840, filed May 29, 2014, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

This relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly, tooperating electronic devices to conduct mobile payment transactions.

Portable electronic devices such as cellular telephones are sometimesprovided with near field communications (NFC) circuitry that allows theelectronic devices to perform contactless proximity-based communicationswith a corresponding NFC reader. Oftentimes, the NFC circuitry in a userdevice is used to carry out financial transactions or other secure datatransactions that require the user device to verify and access acommerce credential such as a credit card credential. The secure datathat is necessary for performing such mobile financial transactions istypically stored on a secure element within an electronic device.

Consider a scenario in which the secure element stores secure datacorresponding to a given credit card credential. The secure elementshould only output the secure data during an authorized mobile paymenttransaction (i.e., an unauthorized user should not be able to access thepayment function on the device). It may therefore be desirable toprovide a way for an authorized user to provide some input that resultsin temporary activation of the payment function on the user device.

SUMMARY

Apparatuses and methods for operating a portable electronic device toconduct mobile payment transactions are provided.

In accordance with an embodiment, the electronic device may include asecure element and a processor that communicates with the secureelement. The electronic device may be configured to receive a paymentinitiation input from a user. In response to receiving the paymentinitiation input, the secure element may be used to send a notificationto the processor indicating that the payment initiation input has beenreceived from the user. Thereafter, the secure element may be used tocommunicate with the processor to temporarily activate the secureelement for payment.

In accordance with another embodiment, the portable electronic devicemay include a secure element for securely storing commerce credentials,an applications processor that is configured to communicate with thesecure element via a secure channel, and input-output devices forinterfacing with a user of the device. The secure element may have anassociated secure element identifier (SEID).

The user may be required to enable a passcode lock function on thedevice prior to performing a financial transaction with the device. Whenthe passcode lock function is enabled, the device may be placed in alocked state when the device is idle and may be placed in an unlockedstate when the user is able to provide a correct passcode. In responseto receiving the correct passcode from the user, the applicationsprocessor may retrieve a random authorization number “AuthRand” from auser keychain that is maintained on the applications processor (e.g., akeychain on which sensitive user information is securely stored).

The input-output devices may be used to receive some predetermined inputsequence from the authorized user for initiating a mobile paymenttransaction. For example, the user may double press on a button tosignal to the device the intent to conduct an NFC-based financialtransaction using the device at a merchant terminal. In accordance withan embodiment, the secure element may be provided with a contactlessregistry service (CRS) applet that asserts a “user input received” flagin response to detecting the predetermined user input sequence.

The electronic device may also include a power management unit (PMU)that is used to detect the predetermined input sequence from the user.The PMU may be a non-reconfigurable digital state machine (as anexample). The PMU may receive a trigger signal from the input-outputdevices upon receiving the predetermined input sequence from the user.This trigger signal may direct the PMU to send an alert to both theapplications processor and the secure element (e.g., to send assertedenable signals to the applications processor and the secure element).

The secure element may be used to confirm that the received user inputis a valid predetermined user input sequence (e.g., by monitoring thestate of an authorization signal that is output by the power managementunit). The power management unit may assert the authorization signal fora predetermined period of time in response to detecting a valid userpayment initiation input sequence. Once the user input has beenvalidated, a contactless registry service (CRS) applet on the secureelement may assert a “user input received” control flag, and the secureelement may be configured to send a notification to the applicationsprocessor indicating that a valid user input sequence (sometimesreferred to herein as a payment initiation input) has been received.

In response to receiving the notification from the secure element, theapplications processor may be used to derive an authentication key“AuthKey” based on the SEID of the secure element and/or on a uniqueidentifier of the applications processor. Thereafter, the secure elementmay send a card cryptogram to the applications processor. Theapplications processor may decode the card cryptogram using the derivedAuthKey and may be used to determine whether to proceed with activatinga payment applet on the secure element by comparing a least a portion ofthe card cryptogram to the retrieved AuthRand. If the portion of thecard cryptogram matches the retrieved AuthRand, the applicationsprocessor may proceed to send a host cryptogram to the secure element.The host cryptogram may be encrypted using the AuthKey using acipher-based message authentication code (CMAC) algorithm, as anexample.

The secure element may receive the host cryptogram from the applicationsprocessor and may be used to determine whether to proceed withactivating the payment applet by analyzing at least a portion of thereceived host cryptogram. If the portion of the host cryptogramsatisfies design criteria, the CRS applet may be used to temporarilyactivate the payment applet. At this point, the user may bring theelectronic device within the field of a merchant terminal to complete amobile payment transaction.

This Summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some exampleembodiments so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects ofthe subject matter described herein. Accordingly, it will be appreciatedthat the above-described features are merely examples and should not beconstrued to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter describedherein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of thesubject matter described herein will become apparent from the followingDetailed Description, Figures, and Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an illustrative system for in which one or moreuser devices can be used to perform mobile payment transactions inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an illustrative primary user device inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of an illustrative secondary user devicein accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of illustrative circuitry in the primaryuser device of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of illustrative circuitry in the secondaryuser device of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in activating auser device for mobile payment in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the flow of information betweendifferent components within a user device during payment activationoperations in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a timing diagram illustrating a sequence of events that istriggered by a predetermined user input in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of illustrative steps for using a powermanagement unit to detect a valid user input for initiating mobilepayment in accordance with an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a system 100 in which credential informationcan be provisioned onto one or more electronic devices from a paymentnetwork subsystem 122 using a service provider subsystem 112. Userdevices that have been provisioned with commerce credentials frompayment network subsystem 122 may be used to conduct a financialtransaction with a merchant terminal such as merchant terminal 108. Userdevices may, for example, communicate with merchant terminal 108 viacontactless proximity-based communications (e.g., using near fieldcommunications (NFC) standards). Terminal 108 (sometimes referred to asa “point-of-sale” terminal) may include an NFC reader for detecting,reading, or otherwise receiving information from a nearby electronicdevice.

For example, a user may hold an electronic device within range ofmerchant terminal 108 to initiate a commercial transaction. Actualphysical contact between the user device and the merchant terminal neednot be present. While the electronic device is within range of merchantterminal 108 (e.g., when the user device is within 10 cm of terminal108, when the user device is within 5 cm of terminal 108, when the userdevice is within 1 cm of terminal 108, or when the distance between theuser device and the merchant terminal has other suitable values), theelectronic device may send a selected commerce credential to merchantterminal 108. In response to receiving the selected commerce credential,merchant terminal 108 may complete the payment by forwarding thereceived commerce credential to a corresponding payment processor (notshown). The payment processor may utilize the user commerce credentialto complete the transaction with payment network subsystem 122. Thisexample in which payment transactions are performed via NFC is merelyillustrative and does not limit the scope of the present invention. Ifdesired, financial transactions between any two electronic devices maybe carried out over Bluetooth® communications links, personal areanetwork (PAN) communications links, wireless local area network (WLAN)communications links, or other short-range wireless communicationslinks.

Payment network subsystem 122 may be operated by a financial entity thatincludes a network of various issuing banks and/or acquiring banks(e.g., payment processors). The financial entity at the payment networksubsystem 122 may serve as a generic payment card association (e.g., acredit card association) that partners with one or moreissuing/acquiring banks that are associated with different brands ofcommerce credentials and may sometimes be referred to as a paymentnetwork operator. The payment network operator and associatedissuing/acquiring banks may be a single entity or separate entities.

For example, American Express may be both a payment network operator andan issuing/acquiring bank. As another example, Visa and MasterCard maybe a payment network operator that partners with other issuing/acquiringbanks such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Chase, just to name afew. The issuing bank may be the financial institution that assumesprimary liability for each user's capability to pay off debts incurredusing a particular brand of payment card. Various types of payment cardsthat can be issued may include but are not limited to: credit cards,debit cards, charge charges, stored-value cards, fleet cards, and giftcards.

User payment card credentials may be provisioned from such financialentities onto user devices using a service provider subsystem such asservice provider subsystem 112. Service provider subsystem 112 may beconfigured to provide another layer of security and/or to provide a moreseamless user experience. For example, service provider subsystem 112may be operated by a commercial service entity that offers variousservices to the user, which may include: an online store forselling/renting media to be played by the user device, an online storefor selling/renting applications to be run on the user device, an onlinestorage service for backing up and synchronizing data among multipleuser devices, a remote device management service for tracking thelocation of the user device and remotely controlling that device, anonline store that allows the user to purchase additional user devices orproducts (e.g., products manufactured by that commercial entity), etc.As another example, service provider subsystem 112 may be operated by amobile network operator such as Verizon or AT&T.

In either scenario, the commercial entity at the service providersubsystem 112 may at least provide different users with their ownpersonalized accounts for accessing the services offered by thatcommercial entity. Each user account may be associated with apersonalized user identification (or account ID) and password that theuser may use to log in into his/her account. Once logged in, the usermay be presented with the opportunity to provision one or more commercecredentials (e.g., payment cards) onto the user device to enable theuser device to purchase items using services offered by the commercialentity and/or to perform financial transactions at a merchant terminal108.

In general, the commercial entity at the service provider subsystem 112and the financial entity at the payment network subsystem 122 areconsidered separate entities. The commercial entity may leverage anyknown credential information associated with each of its user accountsto more securely determine whether a specific credential offered by thepayment network operator ought to be provisioned onto a given userdevice. If desired, the commercial entity may also leverage its abilityto configure or control various components of the user device (e.g., viasoftware of firmware updates) in order to provide a more seamlessexperience for the user when he or she wants to provision a credentialoffered by the payment network operator onto a given user device.

As shown in FIG. 1, service provider subsystem 112 may include a brokermodule 114, a trusted service manager (TSM) module 116, and anetwork-based service module 118. Broker module 114 may serve to manageuser authentication with a commercial entity user account and may alsoserve to manage the lifecycle and provisioning of credentials onto auser device. Broker module 114 may also be configured to control theuser interface (e.g., the graphical user interface) that is displayed onthe user device and to process any user inputs related to provisioningcommerce credentials on the user device. When it is desired to provisiona card onto the user device, broker module 114 may send a notificationto payment network subsystem 122 via path 120.

In response to receiving the notification from broker module 114,payment network subsystem 122 may communicate directly with TSM module116 to carry out credential provisioning operations on the user device.TSM 116 may serve to provide GlobalPlatform or other secure transactionsbased services so that TSM 116 can set up a secure channel betweenservice provider subsystem 112 and a secure element within the userdevice. Commerce credential, payment card information, and/or othersensitive account data may then be conveyed to the secure element in thedevice via the secure channel. In general, TSM 116 may usepublic/private keys or other cryptographic schemes to ensure thatcommunication between service provider subsystem 112 and the secureelement within the user device is secure.

Network-based service module 118 may serve to allow users to store datasuch as music, photos, videos, contacts, multimedia messages, emails,calendars, notes, reminders, applications, documents, device settings,and other information on a network of computing servers so that data canbe synchronized across multiple user devices (e.g., module 118 allowsusers to back up data that is stored on their devices onto serversassociated with the service provider subsystem). This backup data can beused to restore a user device or to set up new user devices (asexamples).

Network-based service module 118 may also be configured to allow usersto find lost devices (sometimes referred to as a “Find My Device”feature), to share media among different devices, and/or to keepsensitive information (e.g., commerce credential information, websiteaccount login information, Wi-Fi® account information, etc.) up to dateacross different user devices. Any sensitive user information may bestored as part of a user “keychain” that can be stored on the userdevice(s) and/or on the network-based service module 118. Only theauthorized user should have access to the keychain. Contents in thekeychain may be protected using industry standard encryption techniques(e.g., using at least 128-bit AES encryption). Module 118 configured inthis way is sometimes referred to as a “cloud” storage or cloudcomputing module.

Still referring to FIG. 1, a user may be in possession of multipledevices such as devices 10 and 102. Device 10 may be referred to as a“primary” user device, whereas device 102 may be referred to as a“secondary” user device. In general, the primary user device 10 may beprovided with more functions than the secondary user device 102. Forexample, primary user device 10 may serve as the user's main device foruse in accessing an entire array of services offered by service providersubsystem 112, for making telephone calls, for selecting new cards to beprovisioned on one of devices 10 and 102, for capturing images, and foraccessing the Internet, whereas secondary user device 102 may serve asan accessory device for use in accessing only a subset of the servicesprovided by the commercial entity at the service provider subsystem 112.However, it should be understood that the terms “primary” and“secondary” are used for ease of description and that, in someinstances, the “secondary” device implement functionality identical toor greater than the functionality implemented by the “primary” device.

Either one of primary user device 10 or secondary user device 102 can beused to perform a mobile payment transaction at merchant terminal 108.Each device that is capable of conducting such types of NFC-basedfinancial transactions may be provided with a secure element. The secureelement may be a tamper-resistant component (e.g., as a single chip ormultichip secure microcontroller) that is capable of securely hostingapplications and their confidential and cryptographic data in accordancewith rules and security requirements set forth by well-identifiedtrusted authorities such as GlobalPlatform. The secure element (SE) maybe provided as a universal integrated circuit card (UICC), an embeddedSE, a smart secure digital (SD) card, a microSD card, etc. Sensitiveuser information such as credit card information and other commercecredentials may be stored on the secure element. The secure elementprovides a secure domain that protects the user's credentials andprocesses desired payment transactions in a trusted environment withoutcompromising the safety of the user's data. In general, each secureelement may have its own unique identifier sometimes referred to hereinas the SEID. No two secure elements should have the same SEID, and theSEID cannot be altered.

In one suitable arrangement, the user may operate the primary userdevice 10 to provision one or more payment cards directly on the primaryuser device. In such arrangements, credential information may beretrieved from the payment network subsystem 122 and/or the serviceprovider subsystem 112 and may be downloaded to a secure element withindevice 10 via path 110. Path 110 between subsystem 112 and device 10 maybe supported via cellular telephone radio communications protocols orother long-range wireless communications technologies and/or via viaBluetooth®, IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as WiFi®, orother short-range wireless communications technologies.

In another suitable arrangement, the user may operate the primary userdevice 10 to indirectly provision one or more payment cards onto thesecondary user device 102. In such scenarios, the provisioning ofcredentials onto the secondary device 102 may be managed using asecondary device credential management application (sometimes referredto as a “bridging” application) running on the primary user device 10.In such arrangements, payment network subsystem 122 may provide thedesired payment card information that is then securely written into asecure element on the secondary device 102 via the primary user device10 and path 106. The communications path 106 between primary user device10 and secondary user device 106 may be supported via Bluetooth® (e.g.,via Bluetooth Low Energy and/or Bluetooth “Classic” technologies), IEEE802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as WiFi®, or other short-rangewireless communications technologies (as examples). In yet othersuitable arrangement, secondary device 102 may communicate directly withservice provider subsystem 112 to obtain commerce credentials using anysuitable long-range or short-range wireless communications standards (asindicated by path 111).

FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of primary user device 10. Device 10may be a portable device such as a cellular telephone, media player,tablet computer, or other portable computing device. The example of FIG.2A is merely illustrative. Other configurations may be used for device10, if desired. As shown in FIG. 2A, device 10 may include a displaysuch as display 14. Display 14 has been mounted in a housing such ashousing 12. Housing 12, which may sometimes be referred to as anenclosure or case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fibercomposites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), othersuitable materials, or a combination of any two or more of thesematerials. Housing 12 may be formed using a unibody configuration inwhich some or all of housing 12 is machined or molded as a singlestructure or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internalframe structure, one or more structures that form exterior housingsurfaces, etc.).

Display 14 may be a touch screen display that incorporates a layer ofconductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensorcomponents (e.g., resistive touch sensor components, acoustic touchsensor components, force-based touch sensor components, light-basedtouch sensor components, etc.) or may be a display that is nottouch-sensitive. Capacitive touch screen electrodes may be formed froman array of indium tin oxide pads or other transparent conductivestructures.

Display 14 may include an array of display pixels formed from liquidcrystal display (LCD) components, an array of electrophoretic displaypixels, an array of plasma display pixels, an array of organiclight-emitting diode display pixels, an array of electrowetting displaypixels, or display pixels based on other display technologies.

Display 14 may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layerof transparent glass or clear plastic. Openings may be formed in thedisplay cover layer. For example, an opening may be formed in thedisplay cover layer to accommodate a button such as button 16. Anopening may also be formed in the display cover layer to accommodateports such as speaker port 18. Openings may be formed in housing 12 toform communications ports (e.g., an audio jack port, a digital dataport, etc.).

FIG. 2B shows a perspective view of a secondary user device 102.Electronic device 102 may be a computing device such as a laptopcomputer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tabletcomputer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld orportable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watchdevice, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a deviceembedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user's head, orother wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer displaythat does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, anavigation device, an embedded system such as a system in whichelectronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile,equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of thesedevices, or other electronic equipment. In at least some embodiments,secondary user device 102 serves as an auxiliary device to primarydevice 10, where device 102 can be used to perform specialized functionsfor the user.

The example of FIG. 2B in which device 102 is shown as a wearable devicesuch as a wrist-watch device with straps 19 is merely illustrative. Asshown in FIG. 2B, device 102 may include a display such as display 15.Display 15 has been mounted in a housing such as housing 13. Housing 13,which may sometimes be referred to as an enclosure or case, may beformed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g.,stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or acombination of any two or more of these materials. Housing 13 may beformed using a unibody configuration in which some or all of housing 13is machined or molded as a single structure or may be formed usingmultiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or morestructures that form exterior housing surfaces, etc.).

Display 15 may be a touch screen display that incorporates a layer ofconductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensorcomponents (e.g., resistive touch sensor components, acoustic touchsensor components, force-based touch sensor components, light-basedtouch sensor components, etc.) or may be a display that is nottouch-sensitive. Capacitive touch screen electrodes may be formed froman array of indium tin oxide pads or other transparent conductivestructures.

Display 15 may include an array of display pixels formed from liquidcrystal display (LCD) components, an array of electrophoretic displaypixels, an array of plasma display pixels, an array of organiclight-emitting diode display pixels, an array of electrowetting displaypixels, or display pixels based on other display technologies. Display15 may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layer oftransparent glass or clear plastic.

Device 102 may have one or more buttons 17 which may be used to gatheruser input. Buttons 17 may be based on dome switches or other switchcircuitry. Buttons 17 may include button members that form push buttons(e.g., momentary buttons), slider switches, rocker switches, etc. Device10 may also have additional buttons, a speaker port, data ports such asa digital data port and an audio connector port, and/or otherinput-output devices, if desired. In some embodiments, at least one ofbuttons 17 on the secondary user device 102 may be used to enable device102 to perform a secure mobile transaction.

A schematic diagram showing illustrative components that may be used indevice 10 is shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, device 10 may includecontrol circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry 28. Storageand processing circuitry 28 may include storage such as hard disk drivestorage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or otherelectrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solidstate drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamicrandom-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in storage andprocessing circuitry 28 may be used to control the operation of device10. This processing circuitry may be based on one or moremicroprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors,application specific integrated circuits, etc.

Storage and processing circuitry 28 may be used to run software ondevice 10, such as internet browsing applications,voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, emailapplications, media playback applications, operating system functions,secondary device credential management applications, etc. To supportinteractions with external equipment, storage and processing circuitry28 may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communicationsprotocols that may be implemented using storage and processing circuitry28 include internet protocols, wireless local area network protocols(e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as WiFi®), protocolsfor other short-range wireless communications links such as theBluetooth® protocol, cellular telephone protocols, MIMO protocols,antenna diversity protocols, etc.

Input-output circuitry 44 may include input-output devices 32.Input-output devices 32 may be used to allow data to be supplied todevice 10 and to allow data to be provided from device 10 to externaldevices. Input-output devices 32 may include user interface devices,data port devices, and other input-output components. For example,input-output devices 32 may include touch screens, displays withouttouch sensor capabilities, buttons, joysticks, click wheels, scrollingwheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, buttons,speakers, status indicators, light sources, audio jacks and other audioport components, digital data port devices, light sensors, motionsensors (accelerometers), capacitance sensors, proximity sensors, etc.

Input-output circuitry 44 may include wireless communications circuitry34 for communicating wirelessly with external equipment. Wirelesscommunications circuitry 34 may include radio-frequency (RF) transceivercircuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifiercircuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one ormore antennas, transmission lines, and other circuitry for handling RFwireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g.,using infrared communications).

Wireless communications circuitry 34 may include radio-frequencytransceiver circuitry 90 for handling various radio-frequencycommunications bands. For example, circuitry 34 may include transceivercircuitry 36 and 38. Transceiver circuitry 36 may be wireless local areanetwork transceiver circuitry that may handle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bandsfor WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) communications and that may handle the 2.4 GHzBluetooth® communications band. Circuitry 34 may use cellular telephonetransceiver circuitry 38 for handling wireless communications infrequency ranges such as a low communications band from 700 to 960 MHz,a midband from 1710 to 2170 MHz, and a high band from 2300 to 2700 MHzor other communications bands between 700 MHz and 2700 MHz or othersuitable frequencies (as examples). Circuitry 38 may handle voice dataand non-voice data.

Wireless communications circuitry 34 may also include satellitenavigation system circuitry such as global positioning system (GPS)receiver circuitry 42 for receiving GPS signals at 1575 MHz or forhandling other satellite positioning data. Wireless communicationscircuitry 34 can include circuitry for other short-range and long-rangewireless links if desired. For example, wireless communicationscircuitry 34 may include 60 GHz transceiver circuitry, circuitry forreceiving television and radio signals, paging system transceivers, etc.In WiFi® and Bluetooth® links and other short-range wireless links,wireless signals are typically used to convey data over tens or hundredsof feet. In cellular telephone links and other long-range links,wireless signals are typically used to convey data over thousands offeet or miles.

Wireless circuitry 34 may also include near-field communicationscircuitry 50. Near-field communications circuitry 50 may produce andreceive near-field communications signals to support communicationsbetween device 10 and a near-field communications reader or otherexternal near-field communications equipment. Near-field communicationsmay be supported using loop antennas (e.g., to support inductivenear-field communications in which a loop antenna in device 10 iselectromagnetically near-field coupled to a corresponding loop antennain a near-field communications reader). Near-field communications linkstypically are generally formed over distances of 20 cm or less (i.e.,device 10 must be placed in the vicinity of the near-fieldcommunications reader for effective communications).

Transceiver circuitry 90 and NFC circuitry 50 may be coupled to one ormore baseband processors 48. Baseband processor 48 may receive digitaldata to be transmitted from circuitry 28 and may supply correspondingsignals to at least one of wireless transceiver circuits 90 for wirelesstransmission. During signal reception operations, transceiver circuitry90 and NFC circuitry 50 may receive radio-frequency signals fromexternal sources (e.g., wireless base stations, wireless access points,GPS satellites, NFC readers etc.). Baseband processor 48 may convertsignals received from circuitries 90 and 50 into corresponding digitaldata for circuitry 28. The functions of baseband processor 48 may beprovided by one or more integrated circuits. Baseband processor 48 issometimes considered to be part of storage and processing circuitry 28.

Wireless communications circuitry 34 may include antennas 40. Antennas40 may be formed using any suitable antenna types. For example, antennas40 may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed fromloop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antennastructures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antennastructures, helical antenna structures, hybrids of these designs, etc.Different types of antennas may be used for different bands andcombinations of bands. For example, one type of antenna may be used informing a local wireless link antenna and another type of antenna may beused in forming a remote wireless link antenna. In addition tosupporting cellular telephone communications, wireless local areanetwork communications, and other far-field wireless communications, thestructures of antennas 40 may be used in supporting near-fieldcommunications. The structures of antennas 40 may also be used ingathering proximity sensor signals (e.g., capacitive proximity sensorsignals).

Radio-frequency transceiver circuitry 90 does not handle near-fieldcommunications signals and is therefore sometimes referred to as “farfield” communications circuitry or non-near-field communicationscircuitry (e.g., transceiver circuitry 90 may handle non-near-fieldcommunications frequencies such as frequencies above 700 MHz or othersuitable frequency). Near-field communications transceiver circuitry 50may be used in handling near-field communications. With one suitablearrangement, near-field communications can be supported using signals ata frequency of 13.56 MHz. Other near-field communications bands may besupported using the structures of antennas 40 if desired.

A schematic diagram showing illustrative components that may be used inthe secondary user device 102 is shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4,device 102 may include control circuitry such as a main processor(sometimes referred to herein as the applications processor or AP) 200,input-output devices 210, a power management unit (PMU) such as powermanagement unit 220, a secure element such as secure element 202, and anNFC controller 222. Applications processor 200 may be used to controlthe operation of device 102 and may access storage such as hard diskdrive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or otherelectrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solidstate drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamicrandom-access-memory), etc. In general, processor 200 may be used to runsoftware on device 102, such as internet browsing applications,voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, emailapplications, media playback applications, operating system functions,etc. The applications processing circuitry may be based on one or moremicroprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors,application specific integrated circuits, etc.

Applications processor may be coupled to power management unit 220 viapaths 250 and 252. PMU 220 may, for example, be a microcontroller thatgoverns the power functions for device 102. The PMU 220 should remainactive (e.g., using a backup battery source) even when the rest ofdevice 102 is idle or powered down. The PMU 220 may be responsible forfunctions including but not limited to: monitoring power connections andbattery charges, controlling power to other circuit components withindevice 102, shutting down unnecessary system components when they areleft idle, controlling sleep and on/off power functions, and/or activelymanaging power consumption for optimum user performance.

In the example of FIG. 4, PMU 220 is coupled to applications processor200 (via paths 250 and 252) and to secure element 202 (via paths 260)and may be configured to selectively put these components to sleep or towake these components up from sleep mode. As an example, PMU 220 mayassert an enable signal AP_EN on path 252 to wake up the applicationsprocessor and may exchange information with applications processor viapath 250. Path 250 may be an I²C bus or any other suitable bus type. Asanother example, PMU 220 may assert an enable signal SE_EN on one ofpaths 260 to wake up the secure element and may also send power andother control signals (e.g., signals PWR and Auth/) to the secureelement via other paths 260. Communications between PMU 220 and secureelement 202 may be implemented using a general-purpose input/output(GPIO) interface, a programmed input/output (PIO) interface, an I²Cinterface, a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), and/or other types ofcommunications interface.

As shown in FIG. 4, PMU 220 may also be coupled to input-output devices210 via path 254 and may also be configured to manage the I/O interfaceof device 102. Input-output devices 210 may be used to allow data to besupplied to device 102 and to allow data to be provided from device 102to external devices. For example, input-output devices 210 may includeuser interface devices, data port devices, and other input-outputcomponents. Input-output devices 210 may include buttons, biometricsensors (e.g., a fingerprint sensor, a retinal sensor, a palm sensor, asignature-identification sensor, etc.), touch screens, displays withouttouch sensor capabilities, joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels,touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, speakers, statusindicators, light sources, audio jacks and other audio port components,digital data port devices, light sensors, motion sensors(accelerometers), capacitance sensors, proximity sensors, etc.

Consider a scenario in which device 102 has its display 15 turned offwhen device 102 is completely stationary. In response to detecting anymotion at device 102 (e.g., using an accelerometer in devices 210), theaccelerometer may send a corresponding signal to the PMU 220 via path254. This signal may then direct PMU 220 to send another signal toapplications processor 200 that results in the display being turned onto output some useful information such as the current time to the userof device 102 (as an example).

Consider another scenario in which secure element 202 is normally placedin an inactive state. In response to detecting input from the user thatis indicative of the desire to perform a financial transaction(sometimes referred to as a “payment activation input” or a “paymentinitiation input”), one or more components in devices 210 may send asignal to PMU 220 via path 254, which in turn directs PMU 220 to send awakeup signal to secure element 202 via path 260. Once the secureelement 202 has been awakened, other operations can subsequently beperformed to complete the financial transaction. These examples aremerely illustrative. If desired, PMU 220 may be configured to handleother types of user input to provide device 102 with the optimum powersavings.

Still referring to FIG. 4, NFC controller 222 may be interposed betweenthe applications processor 200 and the secure element 202. NFCcontroller 222 may include an interface circuit 242 for linkingapplications processor 200 to secure element 202 (e.g., via paths 240and 270). Path 240 linking applications processor 200 and NFC controller222 may be implemented using a universal asynchronousreceiver/transmitter (UART) bus, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), a serialATA (SATA) bus, and/or other suitable types of computer buses forcoupling an applications processor to a wireless network controller. Onthe other hand, path 270 may support communications between secureelement 202 and NFC controller 222 using the Single Wire Protocol (SWP),the NFC wired interface (NFC-WI) protocol, the I²C protocol, or othersuitable communications protocol for linking a secure element to a nearfield communications component.

In accordance with an embodiment, applications processor 200 may serveas a “trusted processor” for communicating with secure element 202 via asecure channel. During a mobile payment transaction, secure element 202may forward an encrypted version of a commerce credential that is storedon the secure element externally to an NFC reader at merchant terminal108 (FIG. 1) using an NFC transceiver 216 and antenna(s) 218 withincontroller 222. Antennas 218 may be formed using any suitable antennatypes. For example, antennas 218 may include antennas with resonatingelements that are formed from loop antenna structures, patch antennastructures, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures,planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna structures,hybrids of these designs, etc.

This is merely illustrative. In general, device 102 may include also oneor more baseband processors for handling NFC protocols, wireless localarea network protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referredto as WiFi®), protocols for other short-range wireless communicationslinks such as the Bluetooth® protocol, cellular telephone protocols,internet protocols, MIMO protocols, antenna diversity protocols, etc.The baseband processing circuitry may be coupled to near-fieldcommunications circuitry 216 for producing and receiving near-fieldcommunications signals at 13.56 MHz to support communications betweendevice 10 and/or a near-field communications reader or other externalnear-field communications equipment, wireless local area networktransceiver circuitry for handling the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for WiFi®(IEEE 802.11) communications and the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® communicationsband, and/or other suitable types of wireless transmitters/receivers forsupporting short-range wireless links and long-range wireless links. Ifdesired, device 102 may also include a satellite navigation systemreceiver, a cellular telephone transceiver, and/or any type oftransmitter and receiver circuitry configured to support any desiredwireless communications protocols.

Still referring to FIG. 4, secure element (SE) 202 may be provided withone or more applications or “applets” that run as part of the operatingsystem of secure element 202 (e.g., as a plug-in to a Java runtimeenvironment executing on SE 202). For example, secure element 202 mayinclude an authentication applet 204 that provides contactless registryservices (CRS), encrypts/decrypts data that is sent to and received froma trusted processor, sets one or more control flags in the operatingsystem of secure element 202, and/or manages one or more associatedpayment applets 206 (e.g., payment applets 206-1, 206-2, etc.) on secureelement 202. Authentication applet 204 is therefore sometimes referredto as a CRS applet. Commercial credentials associated with a givenpayment card may be stored in a particular “container” on secure element202, which is basically the instantiation of a payment applet combinedwith the encrypted payment data for that instantiation. For example, iftwo Visa cards are to be provisioned onto the secure element, a Visapayment applet would be instantiated twice into two different containerson the secure element. Each container may have a unique identifier knownas an application ID (or AID).

CRS applet 204 may be executed in a master or “issuer” security domain(ISD) in secure element 202, whereas payment applet(s) 206 may beexecuted in supplemental security domains (SSDs). For example, keysand/or other suitable information for creating or otherwise provisioningone or more credentials (e.g., credentials associated with variouscredit cards, bank cards, gift cards, access cards, transit passes,etc.) on device 102 and/or for managing credential content on device 102may be stored on the CRS applet 204. Each payment applet 206 may beassociated with a specific credential (e.g., a specific credit cardcredential, a specific public transit pass credential, etc.) thatprovide specific privileges or payment rights to device 102.Communications between these security domains may be encrypted usingdifferent encryption/decryption keys that are security-domain specific(e.g., each SSD may have its own manager key associated with arespective payment applet 206 that is used to activate/enable a specificcredential of that SSD for use during an NFC-based transaction atmerchant terminal 108).

In one suitable arrangement, applications processor 200 on secondaryuser device 102 may be configured to run a mobile payments application.This payments application may allow the user to store credit cards,debit cards, retail coupons, boarding passes, event tickets, storecards, gift cards, loyalty cards, generic cards, and/or other forms ofmobile payment. Each of these digital cards, coupons, or tickets issometimes referred to as a “pass.” As a result, the mobile paymentsapplication is sometimes referred to as a “passbook” application or adigital wallet application. The passbook application may include passescorresponding to respective payment applets 206 for use in conducting afinancial transaction. Each pass (sometimes referred to herein aspassbook pass, a digital wallet pass, etc.) in the passbook may beeither in an activated (or personalized) state or a disabled(non-personalized or personalizing) state. A personalized pass mayindicate that a corresponding payment applet 206 has been provisionedwith the desired commerce credential and is ready for payment. Anon-personalized pass may indicate that a corresponding payment applet206 has not yet been provisioned with the necessary commerce credentialand is therefore not payment-ready.

In one suitable embodiment, secure element 202 may be paired with onecorresponding trusted processor such as processor 200 using anauthorization key or “AuthKey.” This pairing of a secure element with atrusted processor using AuthKey should only be performed once during themanufacturing of these components. The AuthKey for a given secureelement and trusted processor pair may be derived based on an uniqueSEID 225 of the secure element in that given pair and/or a uniqueidentifier (UID) 224 of the trust processor in that given pair. TheAuthKey serves as a component-level secret key that is unknown to theuser and serves to bind a secure element to a corresponding processor sothe secure element knows who to trust (e.g., the AuthKey helps to set upa secure channel between the secure element and the associatedapplications processor 200).

The AuthKey can be stored within the secure element (e.g., the AuthKeymay be managed by the CRS applet 204) but need not be stored at theapplications processor 200. The applications processor on the secondaryuser device 102 may be capable of re-deriving the AuthKey on-the-flywhen it needs to communicate with the paired secure element based on atleast one of its own UID 224 and/or the SEID 225 obtained from thecorresponding secure element.

While the AuthKey effectively binds the secure element 202 to thetrusted processor 200, a random authorization number “AuthRand” may beused to bind the user to the trusted processor 200. AuthRand may be arandomly generated number that is stored on the user keychain (e.g.,AuthRand 229 may be stored as part of keychain 228 that is maintained atthe applications processor 200). As described above in connection withFIG. 1, the user keychain 228 may include information that is onlyrelated to a particular user.

As shown in FIG. 5, AuthRand can also be stored within the secureelement (e.g., AuthRand 232 may be managed at the CRS applet 204). Ingeneral, the trusted processor may be configured to generate a newAuthRand value and to inject the newly generated AuthRand value into thecorresponding secure element 202 (e.g., by overwriting the old AuthRandvalue on the secure element with the newly generated AuthRand value) inresponse to detecting an ownership change at the user device. Operatedin this way, the trusted processor (e.g., applications processor 200)serves to locally track any ownership change at user device 102 bymonitoring the status of the user keychain (as an example). Anycurrently activated payment applets 260 on secure element 202 should beimmediately deactivated for payment in response to detecting injectionof a new AuthRand. Configured in this way, the protection of sensitiveuser credentials at the secure element is enhanced by ensuring that anew user obtaining device 102 as a result of an ownership change(whether or not the ownership change is intended) will not be able touse the newly acquired device to perform mobile transactions commercecredentials associated with the original user. In general, trustedprocessor 200 may be provided with a secure element daemon (SEd) 226that handles any communications with the secure element 202 via the NFCcontroller 222.

Still referring to FIG. 4, the CRS applet 204 may also include one ormore control flags for use in activating payment applets 206 on thesecure element 202. For example, CRS applet 204 may include a “buttonpressed” flag 236. The button pressed flag 236 may be used to indicatewhether the user has pushed a button 17 on user device 102 (see, FIG.2B). For example, the default value for the button pressed flag is ‘0.’When device 102 has detected that a user has pressed button 17, thebutton pressed flag may be set to a value of ‘1’ (i.e., the buttonpressed flag may be asserted). In one suitable arrangement, the buttonpressed flag may only be set to ‘1’ if the user double presses button17. In another suitable arrangement, the button pressed flag may only beasserted if the user triple presses a button 17. In yet another suitablearrangement, the button pressed flag may only be asserted if the userholds down button 17 for more than one second, for more than twoseconds, for more than three seconds, etc.

In general, flag 236 serves as a flag that is asserted in response todetecting some predetermined user input sequence for initiatingoperations that need to be carried out in order for device 102 toperform a mobile payment transaction. The button pressed flag 236 istherefore merely illustrative and does not serve to limit the scope ofthe present invention. If desired, other ways of allowing the user toinitiate payment at a merchant terminal may be implemented. Additionallyor alternatively, CRS applet 204 may be provided with a “fingerprintdetected” flag that is asserted when a fingerprint sensor on devices 102detects the fingerprint of an authorized user, a “swipe detected” flagthat is asserted when a touchscreen on device 102 receives a particularswiping motion from the authorized user, a “tap detected” flag that isasserted when a touchscreen on device 102 receives a double tap from theauthorized user, a “buttons pressed” flag that is asserted when multiplebuttons on device 102 are simultaneously pressed by the authorized user,a “voice command received” flag that is asserted when a microphone ondevice 102 detects a voice command from the authorized user (e.g., ifthe user says “pay”), and/or other suitable flags. Flag 236 maytherefore sometimes be referred to generally as a “user input” flag or a“user input received” flag.

In general, when an electronic device is acquired by a new user, theelectronic device may prompt the new user to set up an account with theservice provider subsystem (e.g., subsystem 112 in FIG. 1). For example,the user may be given the opportunity to enter an account identifier(ID) and a corresponding password to set up a new account. Once theaccount has been set up, the device may be considered to be personalizedto that user and the user may now operate the device to play music,capture photos/videos, record voice memos, store contact information,send/receive multimedia messages, browse the Internet, view/editcalendars, notes, reminders, and other documents, change devicesettings, provision one or more payment cards onto the device, buy/rentmedia from an online store, buy/rent applications from an online store,and/or access other services offered by the service provider subsystem.In at least some embodiments, any information that is related to theuser and the user device may be stored on a network-based service module(e.g., module 118 in FIG. 1) as backup.

In order for the user to be able to provision payment cards onto theuser device, the user may have to enable a passcode lock function on thedevice. The passcode lock function, when enabled, would require the userto enter a four digit passcode in order to fully operate the device (asan example). This is merely illustrative. The user may be directed toenter a passcode that is less than four digits in length, a passcodethat is more than four digits in length, or a passcode that includesnumbers, alphabet characters, and/or symbols of any arbitrary length. Ingeneral, any form of authentication method may be implemented. If theuser is not able to provide the correct passcode, the device will remainin a locked state in which only a limited function such as an emergencycall function is accessible (as an example). If the user is able toprovide the correct passcode, the device will be temporarily placed inan unlocked state in which all the normal functions of the device isaccessible to the user.

When the user is done performing a certain task with the device, theuser may signal the device to return to the locked state (e.g., bypressing a button on the device). The device may also automaticallyreturn to the locked state when the device has been idle for apredetermined period of time (e.g., the device may be automaticallylocked if the device has been idle for more than thirty seconds, formore than a minute, for more than two minutes, etc.). The passcodefunction serves to protect any user information that is normallyaccessible through the device, since only the intended user should beable to unlock his or her device. The passcode may be locally maintainedat the applications processor (e.g., in the keychain 228 on applicationsprocessor 200) and/or may be stored remotely at the service providersubsystem.

Requiring the user to enter a passcode can therefore help to ensure thatthe current user is the intended authorized user of that device assumingonly the authorized user has access to the correct passcode. In thecontext of mobile payments, only the authorized user should be able toperform any financial transaction with a device that has beenprovisioned with his or her commerce credentials. It would therefore bedesirable for an electronic device such as device 10 of FIG. 2A ordevice 102 of FIG. 2B to require a user to enter the passcode at leastonce when using the device.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in activating auser device such as user device 102 for mobile payment. At step 300,user device 102 may be placed in a locked state. Upon receiving acorrect passcode from the authorized user, the user device may be placedin an unlocked state (step 302). During step 302, applications processor200 in device 102 may retrieve the SEID from the secure element and mayretrieve the random authorization value AuthRand from the user keychain.In general, step 302 may be formed at any time before a paymenttransaction is complete.

At step 304, device 102 may be configured to wait for a paymentactivation trigger event from the authorized user (e.g., device 102 maybe configured to monitor for a predetermined user input sequence oraction that clearly demonstrates the user's intent to initiate apayment). For example, device 102 may be waiting for the user to issue adouble press at one of buttons 17 (see, FIG. 2B), to issue a particularswiping motion on the touchscreen display 15, to issue a double tap onthe touchscreen display 15, to issue a voice command, and/or othersuitable action that can be deliberately taken by the user at device102.

This requirement for device 102 to receive a particular paymentinitiation input from the user can help prevent the occurrence ofunintentional mobile payment transactions from an authorized user.Consider a scenario in which a user has already unlocked the device butdoes not actually wish to perform a financial transaction. If such auser inadvertently brings the unlocked device into sufficient proximitywith a merchant terminal, an unintentional mobile payment transactioncan potentially be performed. Such scenarios can be avoided if the userneeds to take deliberate action to indicate to the device that he or sheactually wishes to carry out the payment.

In response to receiving a desired payment triggering input from theuser, device 102 may proceed to validate the trigger event and to set acorresponding control flag at the CRS applet in the secure element (step306). At step 308, the CRS applet may authenticate a selected paymentapplet 260 for payment and may start a timer. The timer may be used toset forth a period of time within which mobile payment transactions areallowed as long as the user device is brought within the field of themerchant terminal. For example, the user may be given 10 secondsfollowing the activation trigger event to bring the device within thereader field. As another example, the user may be given 20 secondsfollowing the activation trigger event to bring the device within theNFC reader field. In general, the timer may be configured to provide atime limit of any suitable duration.

During step 308, the secure element may send a card cryptogram to theapplications processor, and the applications processor may respond witha host cryptogram. As an example, the card and host cryptograms may beencrypted using a cipher-based message authentication code (CMAC)algorithm that assures the authenticity of the data that is beingexchanged between the applications processor and the secure element. Thecard and host cryptograms may, for example, include data that isencrypted using an AuthKey that only the secure element and thecorresponding trusted processor should be able to access. Operated inthis way, the exchange of cryptograms serves to verify that theapplications processor is talking to the right secure element, and thatthe secure element is talking to its trusted processor.

At step 310, device 102 may be used to carry out the desired transactionwhile the user device is within the field generated by the NFC reader atthe merchant terminal (assuming the timer has not expired). If, however,the timer expires before the user has had a chance to bring the deviceinto the reader field, no payment will be completed. In either scenario,processing will return to step 304 to wait for another paymentactivation/initiation trigger event, as indicated by path 312.

FIG. 6 illustrates the flow of information between the differentcomponents in device 102 when performing the steps of FIG. 5. At step400, device 102 may be unlocked by the authorized user (e.g., theauthorized user may enter the correct passcode). The passcode may beverified using the keychain on the applications processor (AP) and inresponse, the applications processor may place the user device in theunlocked state.

At step 402, the applications processor may send a “Get SEID” request tothe secure element. As described above in connection with FIG. 4, anymessage that is conveyed between the applications processor and thesecure element may be handled by the secure element daemon (SEd) and maypass through the NFC controller 222. In response to receiving the GetSEID request from the applications processor, the secure element maysend back its SEID in encrypted format.

At step 406, the applications processor on device 102 may then retrievethe random authorization number AuthRand from the user keychain. SinceAuthRand is protected by the user keychain, AuthRand may only beaccessed after a correct passcode has been provided at step 400.

As shown in FIG. 6, steps 400, 402, 404, and 406 are grouped together assteps 399. In general, steps 399 may be performed any time the devicehas been idle for an extended period of time. For example, consider ascenario in which device 102 is a wrist-watch device that the userremoves at the end of the day and that the user puts on his/her wrist atthe beginning of the day. In this example, steps 399 may only beperformed at the beginning of the day when the user puts on the device(e.g., the user should not need to repeatedly enter the passcodethroughout the day as long as the device stays on the wrist).

Performing steps 399 only once per day may be desirable for the usersince repeatedly having to enter the passcode multiple times a day canbe tedious. In other words, steps 399 may be performed once when theuser obtains the device and should only be performed again when an eventoccurs that can potentially result in a change in ownership of thedevice (e.g., any scenario in which it is possible for the device to bein possession of a user that is different than the original authorizeduser should trigger the device to be placed in the locked state).

At any point in time, device 102 may receive a deliberate user input atan I/O device 210 that demonstrates the user's clear intent to carry outa mobile payment transaction. At step 410, I/O device 210 may send acorresponding user input trigger signal to the power management unit. Inat least some embodiments, the deliberate user input may be a buttonpress event such as a double button press event. Any descriptionrelating to a button press event for triggering a payment activationherein is merely illustrative and does not serve to limit the scope ofthe present invention. As described above, any other type of user inputmay be used to trigger the activation of the secure element.

In response to detecting the proper user input, the power managementunit may proceed to wake up the applications processor by assertingenable signal AP_EN on path 252 (see, FIG. 4). The applicationsprocessor may normally be placed in an idle mode when the applicationsprocessor is not actively running any applications on device 102. Atstep 414, the power management unit may then output an asserted userinput authentication signal Auth/ to the secure element on one of paths260. When the secure element sees that Auth/ is asserted, the paymentactivation trigger event has been verified, and the secure element maythen proceed to set the button pressed flag high (at step 416). Once thebutton pressed flag has been set high (or other “user input received”control flag has been asserted using the CRS applet), the secure elementmay send a button press activation event status word (or a “user inputreceived” notification) to the applications processor to notify theapplications processor that a valid user payment activation input hasbeen received (at step 418).

As shown in FIG. 6, steps 410, 412, 414, 416, and 418 are groupedtogether as steps 409. In general, steps 409 may be performed any timethe device receives a valid user payment activation input from the user.

In response to receiving the button press activation notification fromthe secure element, the applications processor may proceed to derive theAuthKey using its own UID and/or using the SEID received during step404. The application processor may use this derived AuthKey toeffectively set up a secure channel with the secure element.

At step 422, the applications processor may send an authenticationinitialization command to the CRS applet within the secure element.During this step, the applications processor may also send a firstrandom number to the secure element. The applications processor issometimes referred to as the host processor; in such scenarios, thefirst random number generated by the applications processor is sometimesreferred to as a “host challenge.” The host challenge is not the same asrandom number AuthRand.

In response to receiving the host challenge from the applicationsprocessor, the secure element may respond by sending a card cryptogramto the applications processor (at step 424). In one suitablearrangement, the card cryptogram may include the received hostchallenge, a second random number that is generated by the secureelement (sometimes referred to herein as a “card challenge” or a “secureelement challenge”), the AuthRand stored locally at the secure element(e.g., AuthRand 232 at CRS applet 204 in FIG. 4), and other suitablecontrol bits. The SE challenge is not the same as random numberAuthRand. As an example, the card cryptogram may be encrypted using theCMAC algorithm published by the National Institute of Standards andTechnology (NIST). In at least some arrangements, the CMAC algorithm mayuse at least the AuthKey to encrypt the card cryptogram.

When the applications processor receives the card cryptogram from thesecure element, the applications processor may decode the cardcryptogram using its own derived AuthKey (e.g., the AuthKey derivedduring step 420) and may be configured to at least compare the AuthRandvalue in the card cryptogram to the locally retrieved AuthRand (e.g.,the AuthRand value retrieved from the user keychain during step 406). Ifthe AuthRand values match, then the applications processor will able toproceed with authenticating the secure element for payment.

At step 426, the applications processor may send a host cryptogram tothe secure element. The host cryptogram may, for example, include thehost challenge, the received SE challenge, its local AuthRand value(e.g., the AuthRand value retrieved during step 406), and other suitablecontrol bits. The host cryptogram may also be encrypted with the CMACalgorithm using the derived AuthKey.

When the secure element receives the host cryptogram from theapplications processor, the secure element may decode the hostcryptogram using the AuthKey at the CRS applet and may compare thereceived AuthRand value in the host cryptogram to its own AuthRand valuestored at the CRS applet. If the AuthRand values match, then the secureelement will proceed to temporarily activate a selected payment appletfor a financial transaction (at step 428). As described previously inconnection with FIG. 5, a timer can be started at this time to give theuser an opportunity to bring the device within the reader field toperform a financial transaction with the activated payment applet. Thehost cryptogram may therefore serve as an authorized NFC activationrequest that directs the secure element to enable a payment applet. Theact of enabling a payment applet to conduct a transaction is sometimesreferred to as a transient activate operation. When a mobile paymenttransaction is complete (or when the timer expires), the currentlyactivated payment applet may be deactivated using the CRS applet (step430).

As shown in FIG. 6, steps 420, 422, 424, 426, 428, and 430 are groupedtogether as steps 419. In general, steps 419 may be performed any timethe applications processor receives a button press activationnotification (or other a valid user payment activation input alert) fromthe secure element.

As described above, a large part in arming user device 102 to perform amobile payment transaction hinges upon the ability to accurately detecta deliberate user input such as a double button press (as an example).The detection of such user input may be handled by the power managementunit (e.g., PMU 220 in FIG. 4). In general, the power management unitmay be a non-reconfigurable digital state machine that does not actuallyrun any software. Because the power management unit does not actuallyrun any software, the power management unit cannot be easily hacked. Asa result, it is difficult for malicious software (or “malware”) to takecontrol of the PMU to send false notifications to either theapplications processor and/or the secure element.

FIG. 7 is a timing diagram illustrating a sequence of events that istriggered by a payment activating user input. These events maycorrespond at least partly with steps 409 of FIG. 6. At time t1, thepower management unit may detect a double button press (e.g., the powermanagement unit may receive a double button press trigger signal fromthe input-output devices 210 via path 254). In response to receivingthis trigger, the power management unit may temporarily assert signalAP_EN on path 252 to wake up the applications processor and to assertAuth/ (e.g., to drive Auth/ low). Signal Auth/ may only be asserted whenthe desired payment activating user input has been detected by the PMU.While the applications processor is awake, the power management unit maythen send a read button press event command to the applicationsprocessor via the I²C bus 250.

At time t2, the applications processor may send a corresponding commandvia path 250 to the power management unit that directs the powermanagement unit to turn on the secure element. This command may directthe power management unit to assert the power signal PWR and the enablesignal SE_EN to provide power and to wake the secure element from sleepmode.

Some time after the secure element has awakened (at time t3), the secureelement may determine whether the detected user input is thepredetermined valid payment activating user input by checking the valueof Auth/. If Auth/ is asserted, then the secure element confirms a validtrigger event, asserts the button pressed flag, and sends acorresponding button press activation notification to the applicationsprocessor (see, step 418 of FIG. 6). Prior to actually receiving thebutton press activation notification from the secure element, the powermanagement unit may assert Auth/ and AP_EN to alert the applicationsprocessor (at time t4). By only selectively asserting control signalAuth/, the power management unit controls when the secure element ispermitted to set the button pressed flag and when the secure element ispermitted to send the button press activation status word to theapplications processor (e.g., the secure element may be configured tokeep the button pressed flag deasserted if Auth/ is not asserted at timet3.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart that briefly summarizes the sequence of eventsdescribed in connection with FIG. 7. At step 500, the power managementunit may detect a double button press event (or other user paymentactivation input). At step 502, the power management unit may wake upthe applications processor and assert Auth/ for a predetermined periodof time.

At step 504, the application processor may realize that the powermanagement unit has detected a double button press event from the userand may direct the power management unit to turn on the secure element.After the secure element has been turned on and if the secure elementreceives an asserted Auth/, the secure element may proceed to validatethe button press event by setting the button pressed flag and by sendinga button press activation status word to the applications processor,which in turn directs the applications processor to perform steps 419(FIG. 6).

The operations described in FIGS. 5-8 for ensuring that the authorizeduser is in fact in possession of the electronic device and for detectinga valid user input that triggers a temporary activation of a selectedpayment applet are merely illustrative and do not serve to limit thescope of the present invention. In general, the approaches describedherein can be extended to any device having a secure element and can beused to detect any other type of user input.

Although the methods of operations were described in a specific order,it should be understood that other operations may be performed inbetween described operations, described operations may be adjusted sothat they occur at slightly different times or described operations maybe distributed in a system which allows occurrence of the processingoperations at various intervals associated with the processing, as longas the processing of the overlay operations are performed in a desiredway.

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this inventionand various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art. Theforegoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in anycombination.

Although the invention has been described in some detail for thepurposes of clarity, it will be apparent that certain changes andmodifications can be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.Although some of the appended claims are single dependent only orreference only some of their preceding claims, their respectivefeature(s) can be combined with the feature(s) of any other claim.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of operating a secure element within anelectronic device, wherein the electronic device also includes aprocessor that communicates with the secure element, the methodcomprising: in response to the electronic device receiving a paymentinitiation input, using the secure element to send a notification to theprocessor indicating that the payment initiation input has beenreceived; and in response to the processor receiving the notificationfrom the secure element, using the secure element to communicate withthe processor to temporarily activate the secure element for payment. 2.The method defined in claim 1, wherein the secure element has anassociated secure element identifier (SEID), the method furthercomprising: with the secure element, receiving a request from theprocessor; and in response to receiving the request from the processor,using the secure element to send the secure element identifier to theprocessor.
 3. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising: inresponse to the electronic device receiving the payment initiationinput, using a contactless registry service (CRS) applet on the secureelement to assert a control flag.
 4. The method defined in claim 1,further comprising: in response to the electronic device receiving thepayment initiation input, using the secure element to receive an inputalert from a power management unit (PMU) within the electronic device.5. The method defined in claim 4, further comprising: in response toreceiving the input alert from the power management unit, using thesecure element to validate the payment initiation input, wherein thenotification is sent from the secure element to the processor only ifthe secure element is able to successfully validate the paymentinitiation input.
 6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein using thesecure element to communicate with the processor to temporarily activatethe secure element for payment comprises: with the secure element,receiving an authentication initialization request from the processor.7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein using the secure element tocommunicate with the processor to temporarily activate the secureelement for payment comprises: with the secure element, receiving afirst random number from the processor.
 8. The method defined in claim7, wherein using the secure element to communicate with the processor totemporarily activate the secure element for payment further comprises:with the secure element, sending a card cryptogram to the processor,wherein the card cryptogram includes the first random number and asecond random number.
 9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein cardcryptogram further includes an authorization random number that isstored locally on the secure element.
 10. The method defined in claim 8,wherein using the secure element to communicate with the processor totemporarily activate the secure element for payment further comprises:with the secure element, receiving a host cryptogram from the processor,wherein the host cryptogram includes the first random number, the secondrandom number, and an authorization random number that is stored withina user keychain at the processor.
 11. The method defined in claim 10,wherein using the secure element to communicate with the processor totemporarily activate the secure element for payment further comprises:with the secure element, determining whether to proceed with activatinga payment applet on the secure element by analyzing at least a portionof the received host cryptogram.
 12. The method defined in claim 11,wherein using the secure element to communicate with the processor totemporarily activate the secure element for payment further comprises:in response to determining that the portion of the host cryptogramsatisfies design criteria, using a contactless registry service (CRS)applet on the secure element to activate the payment applet for apredetermined period of time.
 13. A portable electronic device,comprising: a secure element for storing user credentials; andprocessing circuitry configured to receive a notification from thesecure element upon receipt by the electronic device of a predetermineduser input sequence for initiating a mobile payment transaction andconfigured to communicate with the secure element to temporarilyactivate the secure element for payment.
 14. The portable electronicdevice defined in claim 13, further comprising: a power management unitconfigured to detect the predetermined user input sequence and to alertthe secure element and the processor in response to detecting thepredetermined user input sequence.
 15. The portable electronic devicedefined in claim 13, wherein the secure element is configured to providethe processing circuitry with a secure element identifier (SEID),wherein the processing circuitry is configured to derive anauthentication key using at least the secure element identifier, andwherein the processing circuitry is configured to establishe a securechannel with the secure element using the authentication key.
 16. Theportable electronic device defined in claim 13, wherein the processingcircuitry is configured to store a first authorization random value, andwherein the secure element is configured to store a second authorizationrandom value.
 17. The portable electronic device defined in claim 16,wherein the secure element is further configured to send a cardcryptogram to the processing circuitry, and wherein the card cryptogramincludes the second authorization random value.
 18. The portableelectronic device defined in claim 17, wherein the secure element isfurther configured to receive a host cryptogram from the processingcircuitry, and wherein the host cryptogram includes the firstauthorization random value.
 19. The portable electronic device definedin claim 13, wherein the portable electronic device comprises awrist-watch device.
 20. A method of operating an electronic device thatincludes an input-output device, a power management unit, and a secureelement, the method comprising: receiving a user input with theinput-output device; in response to receiving the user input with theinput-output device, sending a corresponding trigger signal from theinput-output device to the power management unit; in response toreceiving the trigger signal from the input-output device, using thepower management unit to assert an authentication signal for apredetermined amount of time; and determining whether the user input isvalid by monitoring the authentication signal with the secure element.21. The method defined in claim 20, wherein the power management unitcomprises a digital state machine.
 22. The method defined in claim 20,wherein the input-output device comprises a button, and whereinreceiving the user input with the input-output device comprisesreceiving a plurality of consecutive button presses with the button. 23.The method defined in claim 20, wherein the electronic device alsoincludes an applications processor that is coupled to the powermanagement unit, the method further comprising: in response to receivingthe trigger signal from the input-output device, using the powermanagement unit to send an asserted enable signal to the applicationsprocessor; and in response to receiving the asserted enable signal fromthe power management unit, using the applications processor to sendcorresponding commands to the power management unit to turn on thesecure element.
 24. The method defined in claim 23, further comprising:after the secure element has be turned on, using the secure element toconfirm that the user input is valid only if the authentication signalis asserted when the authentication signal is being read by the secureelement.